Forget blisters and blood: THIS is why you should ditch the stilettos

From pinched toes and bleeding ankles to back pain and arch agony, rocking a pair of stilettos is not for the fainthearted, but that doesn't generally stop us from taking a deep breath and sliding our feet inside.

And whether our mothers and boyfriends want to believe us or not, wearing heels – no matter how painful – make the vast majority of us feel a lot more confident.

From looking taller to influencing our strut, heels are our go-to accessory when it comes to a confidence boost, but it looks like we may be barking up the wrong tree when we equate killer heels with killer confidence.

According to Cosmopolitan, a leading voice and communication coach has asserted that wearing heels can affect a woman's breathing which in turn negatively impacts her vocal cords, and hinders her ability to properly communicate.

Speaking at Parliament in the UK yesterday, Helen Sewell argued that while a woman may want to project a certain image of confidence, her shoes often negate her best efforts.

"When standing, high heels knock you off balance, forcing part of your brain to concentrate on steadying yourself on tiptoes rather than communicating with others," Helen explained.

"However comfortable you feel in heels, they make the balance part of your brain work overtime," she added.

According to Helen, wearing high heels "makes you think less clearly by adversely affecting your breathing pattern and prevents you from projecting your voice properly, forcing you to compensate in ways which risk causing vocal cord damage."

If you think discussing stilettos in Parliament sounds a little bizarre, the discussion was born of a petition – thus far signed by 150,000 individuals – calling for it to be illegal for women to be required to wear heels in the workplace.